Assignment #4

When I first began posting my postcards, I started late and therefore did not post them in order. For assignment number four I will give descriptions of the two postcards in which I am discussing before talking about what happened in between them.

Feet standing on the remains of Berlin wall and standing in front of the graffiti at YAM

I found a small haven below some trees that was painted with the most brilliant colors, a man walked behind me smoking a joint and I remember the sickly-sweet smell as I stared at the art on the wall. The sun was burning the skin on our necks and the beach was near water. Toby suggested walking into the YAM and explained the significance of it. It was a placeholder until something better came along. It was a place for the youth to express themselves through art, but it wasn’t something that would last forever. As we explored this little world to the right of civilization I saw there were lovers consumed with one another on the beach side and children playfully running with an innocent joy.

Standing in front of graffiti at YAM and the “Stay Free” on the Berlin wall.

There was a short time in between these two postcards because I found them both really powerful. I remember a small asthma attack. I remember walking behind Toby, Adam and Lauren as they all decided to light up together. I remember being angry, but also desperate for my inhaler. My lungs were slowly closing and I could feel my deep gasp for breathe barely entering my lungs at all. It was like drowning when you are swimming perfectly well. With each stroke of your arm you fall deeper in the water. I found my inhaler, i eventually recovered to no ones knowledge but stayed away from the next situation.

“Stay Free” to long multicolored wall art

From the time I saw the “Stay Free” art and then got to the store for this postcard a long day had passed. I specifically remember lying on the grass outside of the postcard shop to the left of the end of the wall. It was near water and I could hear the slight waves and the sound of the water splashing against the side of the river walls and the breeze hitting my face as I took a deep breathe. It was a perfect moment I wanted to freeze time. To lie in the sun all day as it slowly baked my skin and the breeze helped me survive its heat. In the slight shadow of the O2 building, it was a thrilling place to be, free, American, and relaxed along the wall.

Multicolored wall art and the two politicians kissing postcard

When I was looking at the politician postcard I remember a few of the conversations around me. I remember talking to Trang about which piece was her favorite and she asked likewise. After lying in the summer and forcing ourselves to get up and look at postcards, Trang and I reminisced about the different pieces we had witnessed. She mentioned the same piece that I enjoyed most. The large, intricately painted multicolored piece that I just previously been looking at was her favorite as well. She had noticed the same things that I had, the Eiffel Tower, the Twin Towers, Big Ben etc. all painted on the head of one of the figures in the painting.

Politicians Kissing postcard and the car breaking through postcard

I had decided to take a break from looking at postcards and jogged inside to grab bottled water, after becoming desperately dehydrated from our walk and the sun. I grabbed one of the cooled bottles from a large refrigerated door. After about 1 and a half minutes trying to figure out which bottle was regular water and which was carbonated I found what I wanted and took it to the counter, the woman, who was strikingly beautiful (deep green eyes, olive skin and incredibly thick black hair that came past her shoulders, I wouldn’t forget because I have always wanted hair like that) spoke in a broken English and asked if I needed anything else, I ran back grabbed some postcards and paid. After saying “donka” she replied, “cheers!”

Car breaking through postcard and the soviet army memorial

There was a long walk in between these two images. Yet the one thing that cannot be erased from my memory in this time lapse was the image of a house we passed on the way to the memorial. It was a house that was so distinctively like my house in Seattle it made me almost freeze. It was a white washed house made of clean lined wood, big black shudders that rimmed every window in the front of the home. A deep, blood red door that had a gold handle and carving along the top. The house was fenced in by black wrought iron. A small garden in the front lawn and hand-laid stone walkway…I was more homesick then I may have thought.

Soviet Union memorial and the endless room in the Parliament

The noise rang in my ear, over and over rolling around the tin bowl until I thought my head would explode. I ran away as fast as I could. Before meeting our group at the American embassy I ran to my favorite restaurant Vapianos, ate far to swiftly and within 15 minutes my body let me know, vomit was on the way. I jogged to the nearest bathroom at a local restaurant close to the embassy and after quietly doing my busy as fast as my body would allow, I walked out of the stall to find a German woman, yelling at me. He hair was cropped close to her head and the curls wound around her ear. Thankfully a younger British woman explained that I needed to pay a euro to use the bathroom. I wont forget the angry that ran through my veins as I dropped the euro into her tin can.

The Endless room in the parliament and the mirrored town in the Parliament

In between these two photos was a moment that I will always appreciate, our tour guide for the parliament was talking and we were being a bit inconsiderate and loud, she was really annoyed. I remember her rolling her eyes, speaking monotone and looking at us like we couldn’t have been college students. As annoyed as I was I held my tongue until I heard John try and joke “stupid Americans” and that infuriated me. Shawn calmly leaned over and said to him “NO. Nooo” and I just about died with happiness.

The mirrored tower in the Parliament and the Stassi Museum sign

I think everyone in our program can agree Anna is probably the cutest human being of all time. One moment that is represented in this time between is on the way to the Stassi Museum. Anna was on the subway bobbing her long, perfectly wavy (can you tell I’m jealous?) hair to the beat of whatever was playing her i-pod. She had her eyes closed and a silly grin pulling at the corners of her mouth. I saw her foot tapping and she seemed so content in her moment, I wish I had a camera and could have stolen that moment for her so she could have seen how pure her happiness was. She was adorable. I can’t even imagine what was running through her mind. And by the way, the song was “5000 miles.”

The Stassi Museum sign and the painting of Adam and Eve

It had the consistency of what I remember to be chicken but the flavor of a more rich tasting meat. The bread was thick and perfectly toasted, the lettuce was right out of the garden fresh and crispy! The garlic sauce was thick and flavorful, and it didn’t hurt that garlic is my all time favorite flavor. I also opted to have the yogurt sauce and nothing else, but it was a perfect combination. I had tried my first doner. But beyond the fact that I had simply tried this multi-flavored dish, in the process of consuming it I was also consuming lamb for the very first time in my life. Considering how I cannot eat about 75% of all meat I was thrilled to find a new one that I enjoyed and wasn’t allergic to. It was like a caesar salad in bread that had a sweeter and meaty feel. In the end I can say, “I love doners.”

The painting of Adam and Eve and the Outside of the Concentration camp

After a pretty decent amount of time in Berlin the one comfort I was thrilled to meet at was Starbucks. I ordered a quick drink and asked for a “Venti ice water as well” the barista looked at me like I was a fool. She stared at me then grinned a snow-white smile, and repeated the order. I thought for a minute, that maybe it just took a moment to register but now he got it. Needless to say I was wrong, he began to laugh hysterically repeating it over and over. He walked away from the counter to retrieve my drink. He never brought my water.

The outside of the concentration camp and the holocaust memorial

Cracks everywhere, I can only imagine what fell into those cracks, I’d rather not imagine though. Our tour guide talked about the loud music that was played in one room to drown out the sound of death in the nearby room. I saw the distance between the rooms though, it was no more then 15 feet, and the walls may have been thick but we can’t be naïve to the truth. Station Z. This was one of the times in your life that you are grateful for having experienced but the moment that you actually experience it, its almost too much to handle and you consider leaving. I’m happy I didn’t leave but the image of the actual rooms, small but thickly built. There is no way they didn’t hear anything. I can see their eyes in my mind and whether it was by an invisible gun or a gun to the face, the fear never left and never changed what happened.

The holocaust memorial and the Pergammon Museum entrance

I walked into a room the size of our apartments and it felt like walking into a cloud made of tobacco. The groups of people stuck together like glue were segregated like junior high children. No one was open to the public but rather turned into the circle and down into their conversation. The bartender was there definitely as a job and not for the social aspect as he ignored my comments and me in any attempt to befriend him. I went to a bar that night and I will forget because I learned the difference between an American bar and Berlin bar. You can smoke everywhere, bartenders aren’t being nice for an extra tip and there aren’t people looking to meet people. I never returned to that bar.

The Pergammon Museum entrance and the inside of the Pergammon Museum

After a long evening the night before hand I was very tired when we had arrived at the museum. The tour guide in my eyes didn’t seem to know how to really captivate an audience and I was off in my own mind quickly. His voice didn’t seem to have any pitch to it but a mere flat tone like a piano stuck on one key. I found a seat on the stairs that lead up to what seemed to be the ceiling of the immensely large room. I saw and stared at the remarkable craftsmanship that was before me. It was so delicately carved and so much detail that it was almost like someone stood there frozen and painted beige. I could have stayed there all day, but instead the security barked at me to move.

The inside of the Pergammon Museum and the Hagia Sofia Church

The long, twisting, never-ending security line. All the people sweating, breathing heavily and waiting, just waiting. In front of me was a young woman crying with her head covered in a lace, light blue scarf. She was staring at her husband who was standing behind the ropes about 20ft away. They were waving, crying and I could feel her heart inside of my own chest aching. For that moment I froze and watched them. I began to cry with them remembering when I had left my family at the airport. The husband then lifted his hand to his ear and made the symbol for a telephone. Almost 5 seconds later her phone began to ring and she answered as they stood now 30ft away talking but so remorsefully it broke my heart. I cried with them as they parted and watched her wipe her face as she entered into the terminal.

The Hagia Sofia church and the gold dome

I came across a stand that was filled with grilled corn, sweet bread loaves and twisted, seeded pretzels. I missed breakfast that morning and as we walked past Hagia Sofia I was ready for some serious nutrition. I was soon to learn that these are pretty common stands all around the city. I couldn’t decide at first but eventually chose the sweet bread. It was wonderful! It was warmed by the bright Turkish sun and tasted as if it was sweetened by honey rather then sugar. The first bit was fluffy and thick, easy to swallow and nearly melted in my mouth. I want one right now as a matter of fact.

The gold dome and the Istanbul hilltop

As we were sitting in our Mercedes, white leather tour bus we drove past some homes that were nearly hanging off of a cliff in the hills of Istanbul. It each window I saw faces of women and children with the largest, teeth filled smiles I had ever seen. The littler girls sitting barefoot on their stoop stood and waved and even tried to chase the bus as we continued our drive down the hill. The young girl began to gather a small group as she chased us, her smile began widening and her steps quickening. I couldn’t believe the joy she got from this momentary encounter.

The Istanbul hilltop and the Kenyon Mall

Before we made it to the Kenyon Mall I made a quick stop at a Subway because I had unfortunately forgot breakfast that morning. On my way out of the store with my sandwich in hand I was waiting at a crosswalk for the light to change and a young girl, barefoot and tanned from the sun all day approached me. She was wearing what almost looked like a dirtied canvas bag around her with holes for her arms to go through. Despite her attire, she had to largest brown eyes I have ever witnessed. A deep chocolate brown that almost melted into a hazelnut color in the center. I nearly stared at her for a moment as she tried to sell me some bracelets hanging from a stick she was holding. I didn’t buy anything from her at the moment, but I can’t forget her eyes when stop to think about that moment. I wish had bought something.